Leroy Lita facts for kids
Lita playing for Sisaket in 2017
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leroy Halirou Bohari Lita | ||
| Date of birth | 28 December 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Kinshasa, Zaire | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Barwell | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2001 | Chelsea | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2005 | Bristol City | 85 | (31) |
| 2005–2009 | Reading | 83 | (20) |
| 2008 | → Charlton Athletic (loan) | 8 | (3) |
| 2008–2009 | → Norwich City (loan) | 16 | (7) |
| 2009–2011 | Middlesbrough | 78 | (20) |
| 2011–2014 | Swansea City | 18 | (2) |
| 2012 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 10 | (3) |
| 2013 | → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 17 | (6) |
| 2013 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2014–2015 | Barnsley | 19 | (2) |
| 2015 | → Notts County (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | AO Chania | 11 | (1) |
| 2016 | Yeovil Town | 8 | (1) |
| 2017 | Sisaket | 21 | (5) |
| 2018 | Margate | 3 | (0) |
| 2019 | Salisbury | 3 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | Chelmsford City | 12 | (1) |
| 2020–2022 | Nuneaton Borough | 21 | (5) |
| 2022 | Stratford Town | 11 | (3) |
| 2022–2023 | Hednesford Town | 29 | (17) |
| 2023 | Ilkeston Town | 18 | (16) |
| 2023–2024 | Nuneaton Borough | 22 | (6) |
| 2024 | Coalville Town | 6 | (1) |
| 2024– | Barwell | 8 | (3) |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2007 | England U21 | 9 | (6) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:33, 2 August 2024 (UTC) | |||
Leroy Halirou Bohari Lita (born 28 December 1984) is an English footballer who plays as a forward. He currently plays for the Barwell club.
Leroy Lita started his football journey in the Chelsea youth team. However, he never played for their main team. In 2002, he moved to Bristol City. Later, he played for Reading, where his great performance helped him join the England under-21 squad. He also played for many other clubs, including Middlesbrough, Swansea City, and Barnsley. He even played in Greece for AO Chania and in Thailand for Sisaket. Leroy also had several loan spells at different clubs before moving into non-league football.
Contents
Leroy Lita's Club Journey
Starting at Bristol City
Leroy Lita was born in Kinshasa. He made his first appearance for Bristol City in the 2002–03 season. He scored his first goal in September 2002, which was a late winning goal against Port Vale.
Lita signed his first professional contract with Bristol City when he was 18. This happened at the start of the 2003–04 season. He was discovered by a scout named Roger Barton. In the 2004–05 season, he became a key player for the team. That year, he scored 29 goals for his club. He also scored one goal for the England U21 team, bringing his total to 30 goals for the season.
Time at Reading
On 13 July 2005, Lita joined Reading, a team in the Championship league. He moved for a club record fee of £1 million.
Lita scored in his very first game for Reading against Plymouth Argyle. He scored three goals in his first three games, including two goals in a 3–0 win against Preston. He scored an amazing overhead kick in a 3–2 home win against Crystal Palace. After a short period without goals, he scored again in a 3–0 win at Ipswich. This win helped Reading reach the top of the Championship league.
He then got an injury that kept him out for six weeks. When he returned, he scored a fantastic hat-trick against West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup. He also scored in a 4–0 win against Norwich City. In the next game, he scored two excellent goals in a 4–3 away win at Crewe Alexandra. He continued his scoring streak with a goal in a 2–0 win against Southampton. In the 2005–06 season, Lita broke his ankle in a game against Burnley. However, Reading still won the Championship title and earned promotion to the Premier League. They set a record with 106 points.
Lita had a good start in the Premier League. He scored the winning goal against Middlesbrough on the first day. Reading came back from being 2–0 down to win 3–2. He scored in a 2–2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. This was the first of ten goals in twelve games for him. He scored away at Manchester United in a 3–2 loss. He also scored in the 6–0 home win over West Ham. He scored three goals in two FA Cup games against Burnley and Birmingham City. His next goal came in a 3–2 home win against Wigan. In the next game, he scored two late goals in a 2–0 away win at Manchester City.
Lita faced some small injuries and sometimes found himself behind other players like Kevin Doyle and Dave Kitson. In the 2007–08 season, Lita was often out of favor or injured. He also had a loan spell at Charlton Athletic. He scored only one Premier League goal that season. It was a diving header in a 4–0 away win against Derby County. Reading was relegated that season.
Loan Spells from Reading
On 5 March 2008, Lita joined Charlton Athletic on a one-month loan. This was because he had limited chances to play for Reading. His loan was later extended until the end of the season.
Lita then went to Norwich City for a month-long loan on 1 October. He scored four goals in his first six games, including a hat-trick against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Reading and Norwich agreed to extend the loan for another six games. Lita scored seven goals for Norwich that season. He was Norwich City's top scorer, even though the team was relegated.
Back at Reading
Lita returned to Reading and played in an FA Cup game against Cardiff City. He made his first league appearance since August, coming on as a substitute. He scored a goal against Watford at home on 9 January 2009. Lita later said he had improved and wanted to stay with Reading to help them get promoted.
On 15 May, Lita and some other players were told their contracts would not be renewed.
Playing for Middlesbrough
On 3 August 2009, Leroy Lita joined Middlesbrough for free. He played his first game for Middlesbrough on 7 August 2009. It was a 0–0 draw with Sheffield United. Lita scored his first goal for Middlesbrough against Doncaster Rovers in a 2–0 win. He scored his second goal when he returned to play against his old club, Reading. On 5 December 2009, Lita scored two goals in a 5–1 win against QPR. This was Middlesbrough's first win under their new manager, Gordon Strachan.
Lita's first goal of the 2010–11 season came on 18 September 2010 against his old club, Reading. On 28 December, his 26th birthday, he scored two goals against Preston in a 3–1 win. His first goal was a great solo effort, where he ran from the halfway line and scored. Lita scored twice against Bristol City, the club where he started his career. This was in Middlesbrough's 4–0 away victory on 15 January 2011. He later used the Bristol City website to apologize to their fans for his celebration.
Time at Swansea City
On 27 July 2011, Swansea City, a team newly promoted to the Premier League, agreed to pay £1.75 million for Lita. He signed a three-year contract. He made his Swansea debut as a substitute against Manchester City. Lita scored his first goal for Swansea City on 17 September 2011 against West Bromwich Albion. He scored a header in a 3–0 win.
Loan to Birmingham City
On 6 September 2012, Lita joined Birmingham City on a three-month loan. He scored his first goal for the club in his second game. He touched in a cross from Paul Caddis to open the scoring against Bolton Wanderers. After playing ten league games and scoring three goals, Lita's loan ended on 12 November. This allowed him to recover from a thigh injury.
Loan to Sheffield Wednesday
Lita made his debut for Sheffield Wednesday on 26 January 2013. He scored the winning goal against Charlton Athletic after coming on as a substitute. He scored his second goal in as many games with a first-half volley in a 3–1 home win against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Leroy scored against Crystal Palace on 23 February, bringing his total for Sheffield Wednesday to three goals. He has a special celebration where he uses his fingers to make an "M" for "massive." Lita scored his fourth goal of the season for Sheffield Wednesday from a penalty. This helped them win 3–2 against Blackburn Rovers on 6 April. He also helped them avoid relegation by scoring a second goal in a 2–0 win over Middlesbrough, his former club.
Loan to Brighton & Hove Albion
On 16 October 2013, Lita signed for Brighton on loan until 1 January 2014. Lita played his first game as a substitute in a 0–0 draw against Yeovil on 19 October 2013. Lita scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 away win at Doncaster Rovers. By the end of his loan, Lita had played 5 games and scored 1 goal.
Playing for Barnsley
After leaving Swansea City, Lita signed a one-year deal with League One team Barnsley on 9 August 2014.
Loan to Notts County
Lita joined Notts County on loan in March 2015. He stayed with them until the end of the 2014–15 season.
Playing in Greece and Thailand
In August 2015, Lita signed for Greek Football League team AO Chania. On 5 March 2016, Lita joined League Two team Yeovil Town for a short time. He was released at the end of the 2015–16 season. On 7 January 2017, Lita joined Thai League T1 team Sisaket.
Non-League Football Journey
In September 2018, Lita joined the English non-league club Margate.
In August 2019, at 34 years old, Lita announced he was retiring from professional football. He then joined Haverhill Rovers as a coach. Later in September, he signed a short-term deal with Southern League club Salisbury. On 8 November, Lita signed a short-term deal for National League South club Chelmsford City. He left at the end of the season. He then spent 18 months with Nuneaton Borough before joining Stratford Town in January 2022.
Hednesford Town and Ilkeston Town
On 24 March 2022, Lita signed for Southern League Premier Division Central team Hednesford Town. He scored three goals in his very first game against Stourbridge. He finished the season with six goals in six games. He signed a new deal with the club for the 2022–23 season.
On 27 August 2022, Lita became the temporary manager for Hednesford. He was later appointed player-coach. On 1 October 2022, Lita scored three goals in just four minutes. This helped Hednesford beat AFC Rushden & Diamonds 5–0 for their first win of the season. In January 2023, Lita joined Southern League Premier Division Central club Ilkeston Town.
Nuneaton Borough, Coalville Town, and Barwell
On 1 August 2023, Lita rejoined Nuneaton Borough. He left the club on 8 January 2024. The next day, he joined another Southern League Premier Central club, Coalville Town. After two months, he left Coalville Town. He then joined Barwell. He finished the season with three goals in six games. He re-signed with Barwell for the 2024–25 season.
Leroy Lita's International Career
Playing for England U21
Leroy Lita chose to play for England instead of DR Congo. He had previously said he wanted to play for the country where he was born. He scored in his first game for England U21. This was against the Netherlands U21 on 8 February 2005. He came on as a substitute in the second half. He scored his second goal in three international games in a 2–2 draw with Spain on 6 February 2007.
2007 European U21 Championship
Lita was chosen to play in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. In the first group game against the Czech Republic, England got a penalty. Lita missed it, and the game ended in a 0–0 draw. However, he then scored for England in their next three games. These included a 2–2 draw against Italy and a 2–0 win over Serbia. He also scored in a 1–1 game against the Netherlands in the semi-finals, which England lost after a long penalty shoot-out.
Lita was named in the UEFA Dream Team for the tournament. This means he was one of the best players in the competition.
Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bristol City | 2002–03 | Second Division | 15 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 4 |
| 2003–04 | Second Division | 26 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 5 | |
| 2004–05 | League One | 44 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 51 | 29 | |
| Total | 85 | 31 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 100 | 38 | ||
| Reading | 2005–06 | Championship | 26 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 32 | 15 | |
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 33 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | — | 38 | 14 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 18 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | Championship | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | ||
| Total | 83 | 20 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | — | 100 | 32 | |||
| Charlton Athletic (loan) | 2007–08 | Championship | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | 8 | 3 | |||
| Norwich City (loan) | 2008–09 | Championship | 16 | 7 | — | — | — | 16 | 7 | |||
| Middlesbrough | 2009–10 | Championship | 40 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 41 | 8 | |
| 2010–11 | Championship | 38 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 41 | 12 | ||
| Total | 78 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 82 | 20 | |||
| Swansea City | 2011–12 | Premier League | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 2 | |
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | ||
| Birmingham City (loan) | 2012–13 | Championship | 10 | 3 | — | — | — | 10 | 3 | |||
| Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 2012–13 | Championship | 17 | 6 | — | — | — | 17 | 6 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2013–14 | Championship | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | |||
| Barnsley | 2014–15 | League One | 19 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 |
| Notts County (loan) | 2014–15 | League One | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| AO Chania | 2015–16 | Football League | 11 | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | |
| Yeovil Town | 2015–16 | League Two | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
| Sisaket | 2017 | Thai Premier League | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 5 | ||
| Margate | 2018–19 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Salisbury | 2019–20 | Southern League Premier Division South | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | |
| Chelmsford City | 2019–20 | National League South | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | 14 | 2 | |
| Nuneaton Borough | 2020–21 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | 14 | 6 | |
| 2021–22 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | 19 | 2 | ||
| Total | 21 | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 2 | 33 | 8 | |||
| Hednesford Town | 2021–22 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | |||
| 2022–23 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 23 | 11 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | 28 | 12 | ||
| Total | 29 | 17 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | 34 | 18 | |||
| Ilkeston Town | 2022–23 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 18 | 16 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 18 | 16 | ||
| Nuneaton Borough | 2023–24 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 22 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | 6 | 6 | 29 | 12 | |
| Coalville Town | 2023–24 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 6 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | ||
| Barwell | 2023–24 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | 8 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 507 | 151 | 33 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 31 | 13 | 587 | 184 | ||
Honours
Reading
- Football League Championship: 2005–06
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2004–05 League One
See also
In Spanish: Leroy Lita para niños
